CYCLOCROSS

A cyclocross or a racing bike?

So, you’ve heard of cyclocross, right, but you aren’t sure what exactly it is? Would you like to ride at any time of the year? Would you like to head off on versatile and speedy off-road rides? Do you need a sporty bike that can overcome any adversity? Then a cyclocross bike is the perfect choice for you. Your companion through the mud.

The benefits of a FOCUS cyclocross bike:

- Cyclocross bikes can be put to universal use and are speedy both on-road and off-road too.- They’re equipped with an extremely robust yet lightweight frame.- Cyclocross tyres have a deeper tread depth and are wider than tyres on a racing bike. This gives you better grip and comfort on off-road trails, in snow and in mud compared with a racing bike. But cyclocross tyres are thinner than the tyres on a mountain bike, so they “cut” through deep mud better and throw up less dirt. You’re faster.- Thanks to the adapted top tube, the bike sits comfortably and snugly on the rider’s shoulder during the running sections.- The disc brakes on your cyclocross bike cut an impressive figure even in bad weather due to the reliable and powerful braking performance.- The cyclocross bike has greater ground clearance under the bottom bracket. So you can ride quickly around extremely tight bends without getting caught on obstacles. - Cyclocross races are cyclocross bikes’ true home. The FOCUS CX team and Jeremy Powers, the American racing cyclist, place their trust in the MARES cyclocross bike in their fight for race victories.

What are cyclocross races?

While cyclocross races mainly take place in Europe, they are also held all over the world too. Cyclocross is a national sport primarily in Belgium and the Netherlands, where it’s celebrated with frenetic folk festivals. But what exactly does it involve? There are several mass-start laps to complete on a marked-out cyclocross course, which is characterised by its technically demanding mud and sand sections. If these sections are on steep slopes, riders have to shoulder their cyclocross in most cases. In other words, they have to sling their bike over their shoulders and run. The cyclocross bike is also shouldered over other obstacles such as tree trunks, hurdles or steps, unless the rider can jump over them. Tight bends are yet another aspect of these races. Cyclocross races take place from autumn to spring, so the weather is usually cold and wet.

Our FOCUS CX team and Jeremy Powers are taking the cyclocross world by storm.

Jeremy Powers, the four-time US National Cyclocross Champion, has successfully placed his trust in the MARES model for a number of years now. But the FOCUS CX team is also firing the enthusiasm of the cyclocross world with magnificent successes such as Felix Drumm’s victory at the German U23 Championships. The MARES is the flagship bike in cyclocross. Our cyclocross professionals keep us close to the pulse of this sport and enable us to stay ahead of the game.